Did you all see this on msn.com? Bulldogs are moving up!

sheila

New member
Community Veteran
Nov 28, 2010
936
66
Phoenix, AZ
Bulldog(s) Names
Butler
i read this and said "yay for bullies!" and then my cynical brain started working and all it means to me is that more people "think" they want bulldogs, realize they are a huge time and money commitment, and more bullies end up homeless. and more people want those adorable puppies, so more jerk breeders breed them, while more and more sweet dogs are living in shelters or foster homes waiting to know what it feels like to be loved and cherished. the ones that people do keep, i worry for them because i hope they are eating good food, i hope their wrinkles and tail pockets are being cleaned, i hope their are being kept in controlled climates..etc....
i don't know anyone besides myself and the people here that would ever do for any dog what it takes to love and care for a bulldog properly. most of my friends that have dogs have a completely different dynamic to their relationships than i do. i clean butler's face, ears, butthole, toes, and eyes everyday, and i groom him once a week. he even eats better than i do. i feel like i forget he is a dog and not a human sometimes. maybe i'm mildly crazy but he is so much more than a pet to me. do i make sense?
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
i read this and said "yay for bullies!" and then my cynical brain started working and all it means to me is that more people "think" they want bulldogs, realize they are a huge time and money commitment, and more bullies end up homeless. and more people want those adorable puppies, so more jerk breeders breed them, while more and more sweet dogs are living in shelters or foster homes waiting to know what it feels like to be loved and cherished. the ones that people do keep, i worry for them because i hope they are eating good food, i hope their wrinkles and tail pockets are being cleaned, i hope their are being kept in controlled climates..etc....
i don't know anyone besides myself and the people here that would ever do for any dog what it takes to love and care for a bulldog properly. most of my friends that have dogs have a completely different dynamic to their relationships than i do. i clean butler's face, ears, butthole, toes, and eyes everyday, and i groom him once a week. he even eats better than i do. i feel like i forget he is a dog and not a human sometimes. maybe i'm mildly crazy but he is so much more than a pet to me. do i make sense?


You make perfect sense ... both my kids are with my ex-husband. Tom and I have no kids together and probably never will. I always say that Maggie is OUR first born ... she's the first "fur"child we had ... before that they are dogs. So we have seven dogs and only five are really dogs the other two are fur-kids. That sounds really really really bad doesn't it!!! :(
 

Mike Blaylock

New member
Dec 27, 2010
222
15
Forest Park, Ohio, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
SgtMjr. Duketavius (Duke) Bruiser USMC Ret.
Weeeeeeeell,
Actually I've seen quite an increase in the last 6 years that I've owned Duke. The reason for the increase unfortunately is that English Bulldogs have become a status symbol just like owning a BMW or Lexus car. They have been in several movies and commercials lately. Why? Because they are so exspensive to buy. The great American dream.......has turned into keeping up with the Jones' and their status symbols. I've been told by breeders who have over twenty years of bulldog breeding that this happens to bulldogs occassionally and then the glamour wears off and things settle back to normal. I hope this is the case. I also hope that the AKC can control the breeders and help educate people to only buy from AKC breeders. So that the breed continues on it's current trend toward healther stock and not fall backwards due to poor breeding standards. That would be my concerns.

Yes it definitely takes a person wanting to commit to their English Bulldogs needs. The key word is commit. Into days world of......all about ME!!!!!!!!!!...... finding young people willing to make that commitment is very difficult. This is what the AKC and Bulldog breeders need to recognize
and be selective in their selling of their stock. Not everyone can handle the responsabilities or is willing to sacrifice their needs for the sake of the dogs needs. I do it because of the love bond I share with my buddy Duke. I can't imagine him not being a part of my life. That's the level of commitment needed and that needs to be looked for before ever letting lose of any English Bulldogs to the general public. Have a great day,....Mikey B.
 
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Emmitt E

Emmitt E

New member
Nov 1, 2010
64
2
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I feel like bulldogs have always been popular around here, with the UGA connection.

I will say I've seen them a lot more in advertising and such. Plus, they appear more frequently in popular shows and movies.

I think it's great that the article said the perception of bulldogs has changed. That's good. But I agree with what everyone else said about the downsides.

Regarding the amish puppy mill, I too saw a sad story about a pug that I can't get out of my head. She's on my pug rescue feed. She was kept in a cage for 6 years and her paws had never touched grass! She was scared of it. Luckily she was rescued. What a horrendous and common story. Sick!
 

BruceP

..........
Aug 12, 2010
0
505
Milwaukee, WI
Bulldog(s) Names
HRH Princess Gracie, aka: HRH; Princess Amelia Pond, aka: Amy
All we can do as true bullie people is try our hardest to educate whenever and wherever we can. Tell it like it is.... they aren't just pretty faces.;)
 

bullmama

Owner/Administrator
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Yes, a lot of it is the breeders who don't care and only want the money. If each breeder took all the right steps, (microchipping and REGISTERING it for the new owner, with their name as a backup, interviewing potential owners about where they live, their family life, daily care of the EB, potential health issues), I believe there would be less bulldogs in rescue, but also they would not sell as many dogs and could not line their pockets. So yes it is unfortunate. But all we can do is continue to reach out to people. It is not going to change anytime soon. Share EBN on facebook with your friends (we also have 3 facebook pages), give out business cards, ect. :up:
 

MissBailey

New member
May 23, 2010
21
2
California
Bulldog(s) Names
Lil Miss Bailey
We have miles of bike path's behind our house. (open the gate and we are there next to the creek) We walk our Bulldog and Lab when weather is permitting. A women began to scream at her children to run because I had a Pitbull! Mind you they where on a lease anyway! I am not so sure I like the idea either about the Bulldog moving up. People don't know the breed well or how to take care of them. A friend of mine wanted to pursue getting a Bulldog, she wasnt aware of the care needed for a healthy happy dog. Wisely enough she changed her mind!

I too are concerned about more and more shelter dogs!
 

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